Otago will have to cope with threats from all corners as it seeks to finish the Plunket Shield season on a positive note on the road.
The Volts play Northern in Whangarei in a four-day game starting today, before ending the campaign with a clash against Wellington at the Basin Reserve from March 29 to April 1.
While Otago (26 points) is too far behind runaway leader Northern (44) to claim the domestic four-day title for the first time in 22 years, it can still overhaul Central (32) and Canterbury (28) if results go its way.
That should provide the motivation for an injury-plagued Otago team to keep pushing hard in the dying stages of the season.
For Northern, there is a massive incentive to grab a third consecutive outright win to claim the Plunket Shield.
The Knights have struck a rich vein of form, thumping Wellington by nine wickets and then Auckland by 10 wickets.
Central to their success has been the rising star of New Zealand cricket, young batsman Kane Williamson, who scored 170 against Wellington and 192 against Auckland.
It seems only a matter of time before Williamson is selected for the Black Caps in some form of the game. Until then, his is the one wicket Otago must try to snare cheaply.
Even if Williamson fails, Northern has a loaded batting line-up that features former internationals Daniel Flynn and the Marshall brothers, James and Hamish, as well as provincial stalwart Michael Parlane and the innovative Peter McGlashan.
Experienced bowlers Joseph Yovich, Graeme Aldridge, Bradley Scott and Bruce Martin surround young left-armer Trent Boult in the attack.
The Volts, while not exactly on their last legs, have been badly affected by various injuries.
Warren McSkimming (calf), Aaron Redmond (stomach), Ian Butler (groin), James McMillan (abdomen) and Sam Wells (hamstring) are all out.
That puts pressure on captain Craig Cumming - chasing Bert Sutcliffe's record of centuries for Otago - and Neil Broom with the bat, and on Neil Wagner and Mathew Harvie with the ball.
The Plunket Shield has featured 18 outright wins this season, up from 12 in each of the last two seasons.
Northern accounts for five of those wins with two rounds to go.
Meanwhile, recuperating Black Caps batsman Jesse Ryder will sit out Wellington's game against Canterbury but may be available for the final-round game against Otago.
Ryder underwent surgery last month to reinforce his abdominal wall and has been back in the nets and also playing club cricket the past fortnight.
But Wellington said Ryder was not considered for selection this weekend as he had not passed the required fitness criteria laid down by New Zealand Cricket fitness and medical staff.
The other Plunket Shield game starting today is between Auckland and Central at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland.
• OTAGO V NORTHERN
Whangarei, starting today
Otago Volts: Craig Cumming (captain), Nick Beard, Derek de Boorder, Darren Broom, Neil Broom, Anthony Bullick, James Fuller, Shaun Haig, Mathew Harvie, Nathan McCullum, Greg Todd, Neil Wagner.
Northern Knights: James Marshall (captain), Graeme Aldridge, Trent Boult, Daniel Flynn, Hamish Marshall, Bruce Martin, Michael Parlane, Peter McGlashan, Bradley Scott, Kane Williamson, Brad Wilson, Joseph Yovich.
